Minoto's visit.
by Raija Darknight
Summary: Well, i'm at my tower and Minoto of the Darkseas, who rules this place called Seacyca, comes over and my portal messes up! it's cool! REEEAAAAAAD! 2 chapters! I repeat, 2 chapters!!!!!
1. Default Chapter

"Narf," said Raija Darknight, sitting in her tower of obsidian, black as night. Shadowloft Tower was surrounded by a deep grove of cherry and plum trees growing wild. Her six and a half foot black bunny, Nightshade, inhabited this grove. It also hosted many kinds of snakes, spiders, and hamsters that guarded it from intruders. Due to the shifting magics around the tower, one could always find some trees that had fruit on them. The grove's entire diameter is 4 miles including the tower. A thin mist wove itself around and in the grove. There wasn't enough mist to be scary, just enough to keep you on guard. The tower itself is a mile in diameter.  
  
The inside is lighted with fire and lightning jewels that brighten areas up to 10 yards. There is a spiral staircase in the center of the tower that goes up to the top. It had 3000 steps. Narrow catwalks with railing branch out from the staircase and lead to different rooms. A few of the many rooms are Raija's room, the laboratory, the bug room, the practice room, the Imagining room, and the kitchen. There are also many empty rooms that can be filled with things that are imagined from the Imagining room. Raija was in her room on the 2000 step. She was slightly out of breath, having walked up all the steps. There were 2 portals that led to anywhere in the tower or grove, but she liked to get some exercise once in a while. And she was irritated. She glared at the pair of luminous floating eyes in front of her.  
  
"Damn you to the Abyss, you stupid Guardian! I told you to go contact Minoto! Don't give me that dross about orders from Raistlin and Chemosh. You're my Guardian, you know."  
  
The eyes dropped for a second. "I apologize, master Raija, mage of Nuitari..."  
  
It was cut off. "Mage of Nuitari?! Nuitari?! You dare say that in front of me? Don't call me that again! Get out!" The Guardian flew out, having been propelled by a large blue fireball. Raija mumbled something about not trusting Raistlin's old Guardians and flopped back on her black silk bed. Then she sat up and beckoned to a heavy chest. "Astal girandik mikrandier! Bowl of seeing and flask of Chaos!" Out of the chest flew 2 items. One was a black diamond bowl. Intricate runes were cut into it and it sparked with a dark light. The other was a silver flask that sloshed gently as it landed next to Raija. Raija took the flask and poured half of it into the bowl. The liquid was black with bright hints of gold, green, blue, silver, and red. Raija leaned over the bowl. "Minoto of the Dark Seas at Frost Mansion!" The bowl's liquid smoked and began spiraling gently, resembling solid smoke.  
  
"Whoopsies!" Minoto looked sadly at an ice statue she had accidentally broke in half. She was on the path leading to her house, which was made of the clearest and hardest ice and frosted with magic. That was how it got the name Frost Mansion. She had about 105 statues on the path, and their poses changed every day, though Minoto liked to make adjustments like she had just attempted to do. "I'll just get Laurenest to fix it. "  
  
Just then, the holographic helper mentioned appeared. She had light-golden blond hair and brilliant bright green eyes. Her hair was quite short except after each ear, there were two long strands that touched the ground. "Lady Minoto! Raija Darknight is calling from the black fire in the East Tower!"  
  
"Raija? Excellent! She hasn't called for a while. Thanks Laur!" And with that, Minoto grabbed her dark blue cloak and magicked herself to Frost Mansion. At the entrance she headed for a long spiral staircase, and iced herself up it. Ice formed under her feet and she whizzed up the stairs at top speed. She soon arrived at the East Tower, where a black magical fire burned in one of the technical laboratories. A black bowl was sitting in it. Minoto reached out and grabbed the bowl. The fire flickered but did not burn her. Minoto looked into the bowl with the sparkling water and saw Raija in it.  
  
"Hi Raija! How are you and your tower and Nightshade? And how are those deathfully cold guardians?"  
  
"Hmph, you should speak of cold...well, they're as cold and dead as usual. I'm good, and so is Nightshade. Or is the word well? Anyway, I planted a couple trees around the Tower, so now you have to get though 3 miles of plum, cherry, and strawberry trees and bushes. Speaking of which, why don't you come over for a visit today or tomorrow?"  
  
Minoto smiled and nodded. "That sounds great! I'll come over at 1:00 in the afternoon, your world time."  
  
Raija grinned. "That's great. I'll have Nightshade await you at the Grove. If you can't find her, just ask one of the hamsters. They're always up to date on movement and news. Help yourself to the fruit. I gotta go prepare a room." Raija waved and tipped the Chaos liquid back in the flask and waved it and the bowl back to the chest. The bowl in Minoto's hand disappeared. She walked to her room, went through the stairs in her closet, and went to her room with magical items. Minoto picked up a two centimeter-sized red jewel ring with a clear black band. She put it on.  
  
"Laurenest," Minoto whispered into it. Laurenest immediately appeared in front of her. "We're going to visit Raija Darknight. I need you to set up some guards on the towers so the rocs won't go smashing into them. I'm going to go find those travel bags that I packed a couple weeks ago." Laurenest nodded and disappeared. Minoto picked up the Magic Mirror of Finding Lost Stuff and began looking for her bags.  
  
Meanwhile, Raija was trying to get the transportation spell for one of the portals by the stairs to work. For some reason, it kept on teleporting her to Lord Soth's castle, which was really stupid. The spell was supposed to lead wherever in the tower that she wanted to go, but she guessed the adjustments were wrong. Raija sighed, sprinkled yew ash around the portal edges, and then went though the portal again.  
  
"Back again?" asked Lord Soth, who was trimming his black roses while his banshees serenaded his with screech voices.  
  
        Raija sighed. "Yup. The portal refuses to work. Damn, watch it!" The last part was said as Lord Soth cast a fire spell on one section of his roses, burning a path through them.  
  
        "Sorry," said Soth. He paused in his magical and swordical attacks on the roses. "Perhaps if you used this." He extended his hand, with a red gem in it. When Raija opened her mouth, he nodded. "Yes, this is the Soulstone of Diablo. But it ought to work in modifying the portal. But if you wish to have it you must give me the usual fare."  
  
        Raija rolled her eyes and nodded. She gestured and a blond elf maiden appeared in front of Lord Soth, and immediately fainted. He looked as pleased as his burned visage could, and handed the Soulstone to Raija. She nearly dropped it, as it was burning with the cold fire of the undead. She waved, then disappeared through the portal.  
  
        Raija inserted the Soulstone into metal outline of the portal. There was a small flash. She crossed her fingers and stepped in.  
  
*Flash*  
  
Raija was on a platform. There was a girl with brown hair, green eyes, and a pink dress kneeling on it. Raija took one look at her, and the man with spiky blond hair spazing around next to her, and scratched her head. She then remembered and looked up. A man with silver hair and a really big sword dropped down and stabbed the girl. He looked at Raija, and his expressionless face showed hints of anger and disbelief. He took his sword out of the girl's back and raised it. Raija backed away. "Hi Seph, well, I hope you aren't mad for me taping that 'Mama's boy' sign to your back, but it's the truth, and well, gotta go!"  
  
*Flash*  
  
Raija stood on a big square area with white tiles. It was outside and there was a green alien thing standing with his arms crossed in the center. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. Raija waved. "Yo Cell! What's up? I like your arena thing. Well, the portal thing is going to go wacko and transport me at any second, so I'll see you at the games!" The portal flashed.  
  
*Flash*  
  
A crystalline tower's walls surrounded her. She was behind some sort of wall, and through it she could see several people. Two people were fighting. One was black skinned with pointed ears and held 2 scimitars. The other had shoulder length hair, a small beard, and a black cape. He fought with a jeweled dagger and sword. On the other side there were several other people, though Raija couldn't see them clearly. She caught a movement from behind her and leapt to the side as a stream of daggers flew at her. She turned to see another drow with a large purple hat with a plume shooting his arm out at her. Several other dark elves stood by his side. Raija leapt straight up, stuck her tongue out at Jarlaxle, and then flashed out again to her original destination, the Imagining room.  
  
The Imagining Room looked like a large bubble. It was big, wide, and clear. It looked very thin, but was in reality as strong as diamond. Raija sat down in the middle of the room and sat in a meditation position, palms facing up on her knees. She focused on the guest room 100 steps below hers, and began imagining furniture, designs, and other things for the room. As she thought of each thing, it popped in to the guest room. Raija sat there for about an hour, designing and perfecting Minoto's room.  
  
Back at Frost Mansion, Minoto had just found the bags. She set about rearranging the contents. She found her magic sheep that had been wandering around outside and shrunk them to travel size. After making sure everything was perfect, she grabbed her blue-jeweled staff and set out to the East Tower. Laurenest was already there, adjusting one of the portals. There was another girl waiting beside her. This girl had shoulder length blond hair done up into a ponytail. Several loose strands hung from the sides. She had an open and cheerful expression. Liz of Liz Tower wore a bright red sparking robes. A dirk was thrust into her belt and she gripped a staff shaped like a serpent with glowing ruby eyes.  
  
"Hi Liz!" said Minoto. "I didn't know you were coming over. I was just on my way to Shadowloft Tower to visit Raija."  
  
Liz nodded. "Yeah, I heard, and well, I figured I would just come too." She gestured to Laurenest. "Laurenest helped me contact Raija and okay it."  
  
Minoto smiled. "Great. Glad you're coming along." She looked at Laurenest. " The portal isn't working well, is it Laur?" Laurenest shook her head, pressing a button on the side of the portal. It flashed a dull white. Laurenest frowned slightly at the non- workingness of it. Minoto stepped up, and grabbed several instruments on the table. Liz grabbed a blowtorch and then both added or melted parts of the portal. "Whew," Minoto said, looking at the portal, which had several designs and magical jewels added to it.  
  
"It should work perfectly now, unless we got the specifications wrong." Liz remarked, studying the framework closely. She shrugged and stepped through. Minoto followed her, accompanied by Laurenest. 


	2. chapter 2, whoop de doo!

Chapter 2  
  
   
  
Raija pulled back from the portal, concentrated on using her newly discovered psionic powers, and made the portal into a scrying device. She looked through and saw Minoto and Liz appear on the edge of the Grove. Laurenest was back in Minoto's ring. She watched as a large black rabbit bounded out of the Grove. She watched Nightshade greet Minoto and Liz and teleport two thin black horses out of one of the Grove's clearings. Minoto and Liz mounted up and followed Nightshade as she hopped into the Grove.  
  
The Grove was warm and sunny. It usually reflected the outside weather, though Raija could change it if she wanted to. The shadows of the trees in the Grove and the things in it all stretched toward the center, the Tower. The shadows were also lengthened so the edges touched the Tower. This was how it had gotten its name. Shadowloft Tower, the attraction of shadows. The mist flowed like a thin stream, sometimes on the ground and sometimes in the air. Raija had 'borrowed' a little mist from Count Strahd and tamed it so it wouldn't kill anyone. It trapped intruders in the Grove and confused them. Minoto and Liz rode on the horses, which were attentive but calm. They rode on, occasionally picking cherries, plums, or strawberries.  
  
"Awww, look at the cute little bunnies!" Liz looked at Minoto.  
  
"You know Minoto, those thing aren't bunnies. They're hamsters. And they're pretty cute. I want some skittles. Why didn't I bring any? I'm getting bored. Maybe I can make an earthquake or something fun."  
  
Minoto made a face. "I was joking Liz. Geez, get a sense of humor. As for being bored, we could always make the horses go faster. We would also speed up our travel time, and we'd get to the tower faster."  
  
Liz nodded. "Yes, that sounds good, sensible, and all that stuff. We shall proceed directly. " She leaned forward and spoke softly to the horse, gripping the reins and leaning forward. The horse leaped forward into a smooth gallop. She grinned over her shoulder at Minoto, she was trying to get her horse to run too. "Come on Minoto. The horses are due for a run, so let's let them. You're gonna get left behind!" She called to Minoto's horse and it streaked forward behind Liz's.  
  
Raija sat in a mass of broken oozy burnt things. She frowned. "I hate cooking." After multiple tries at making cheese cake and some fancy meat thing, she gave up. She also had no more food ingredient things. Sighing, Raija summoned a dozen Guardians and instructed them to clean up the mess. They looked unhappy. "Don't forget what happened to Jerky," Raija warned. The Guardians shuddered, remembering the cotton ball covered, rabbit bitten Guardian who had been polymorphed from a Live one/Guardian into a fluffy carrot. The Guardians all started cleaning frenziedly. Raija smirled (something between a smile and a smirk), and set about finding a decent place to order take out.  
  
Minoto and Liz were almost through the Grove. They rode quickly through the tall trees. Soon the tall looming shape of Shadowloft Tower could be seen. Nightshade went ahead to inform Raija, hopping so fast she blurred. Minoto and Liz followed at a slightly slower pace. The rippling blue and white magic barrier that surrounded the Tower parted to let them through, though Nightshade simply hopped through it unhindered. After they passed it closed back into a rippling and pulsing gate. The smooth cherry wood door at the base of the Tower opened and Raija stepped out.  
  
Raija was wearing her usual black clothes. This consisted of a grayish/black shirt, covered by a sleek black vest. She wore loose black pants. Her clothes were all made of a sort of chain mail polymorphed into velvet and silk. It worked like the armor but weighed and felt like the fabric. Part of her black hair fell to the edges of her ears, and the rest fell straight down to mid-neck level. A velvet scarf around her waist served as a belt. A slightly shortened rapier hung on her left side (so she could reach it with her right hand), a black pouch on the right. An arm bracer for daggers was visible on her right arm.She could produce an endless stream of daggers from it, all of which would disappear after they had struck. Raija hadn't quite figured out if the daggers were solid illusion, magic, or just illusion. She'd do research someday.  
  
Raija came forward to greet her friends. "Hi Minoto, Liz. How was the trip through the Grove? Hope the drow didn't attack you. I found a portal from Menzoberranzan in one of the clearings, and those damn dark elves have been popping up everywhere. No sign of them?"  
  
Minoto shook her head. "I saw something that looked like a spider and a dark elf mixed together, but I assumed it was one of your pets."  
  
Liz nodded. "Yes, it hissed at us, but it didn't seem extremely evil or anything. Just…weird."  
  
Raija rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it is weird. Anyway, come inside." She gestured them all in.  
  
The inside was it's usual black color, lit with sunlight from the windows and fire and lighting jewels. Minoto, Raija and Liz walked in. Minoto's dark blue hair shone in the sunlight, and her long blue clothes rustled gently as she walked along the floor. Minoto was about a foot taller than everyone, one of the reasons Raija made her doorways extra big.  
  
"I'll show you guys to your rooms, then we'll have lunch," said Raija.  
  
"Lunch sounds very good. I'm hungry," replied Minoto. Liz nodded. The three walked to the spiral staircase in the center of the Tower. The staircase was so huge that it didn't take long to get there, despite the Tower's size. The two portals at the bottom glimmered gray, black, and blue. They all stepped into them, and vanished. 


End file.
